K9-STAR
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Positive Training
727-421-1146
Training All Breeds
A message from your dog.
When taking me for a walk don’t always walk at the same boring pace for the entire walk, instead, lets walk walk walk normal pace, then speed up trot trot trot, walk walk walk normal, slow down walk walk walk, trot trot trot and repeat. And give me time to sniff and enjoy the outdoors, just stop every once in a while and let me sniff. My nose is most amazing, let me use it. I know standing at a tree or by a mail box post isn’t very exciting to you but, to me, it’s the morning paper, Facebook or Twitter. Switch things up don't always go in the same direction or the same road. Keep things exciting by taking a different rout every once in a while. Now lets get out and take a fun walk.
Everything we say we teach a dog to do, Fido already knows without our help.
Dogs know how to, sit, stand, lay down, roll over, walk, come to us, run from us, pick things up, drop things, pull things and a whole lot more. What we’re trying to do as trainers, is put all these behaviors on cue. In todays world there are many different ways of training, from positive reinforcement training techniques such as lure and marker training, to shock collars, dominance and everything in-between. We here at K9-Star use all positive training techniques, and work hard to teach your dog English as a Second Language, putting what Fido already knows on cue.
Please don't let your dog do this!
While driving this morning I saw this beautiful Husky hanging-out the window of a van while driving down the highway at about 55 miles an hour. What do you think would happen if somebody stop quickly in front of this van? What if he had to avoid an object in the road and swerved to avoid it? None of the outcomes that I can think of are very good. If this owner truly love that dog he wouldn't allowed it to hang out the window like that. Using a car restraint for your dog in a truck or in a car is a good idea. Allowing your dog to hang his head out the window while driving it is debatable as to whether or not it's bad for your dog or not. In my opinion it’s not. Bugs, small rocks and road debris can fly up and take an eye out. Allowing your dog to hang out the window while driving like this guy is just downright Foolish. Please keep your pets safe this Holiday season and all year long.
Dog won’t come when called?
When you call your dog to you it must be a happy occasion, no mater what.
If your dog thinks there is a 50/ 50 chance he is going to see an angry face or have to do something he hates when he gets to you... forget the recall, he may or may not come when called. So however frustrated or angry you get when your dog just won't come, don't let him know how angry you are when he finally gets to you. You MUST have a happy party with him, it has to be the best thing that has happened to him today. If your dog just refuses to come, stay calm, walk up to him, leash him and just calmly take him to where you were calling him from. Never get angry if won’t help.
After teaching the basic "come" command, and the dog knows that coming to his owner is always good thing. I teach my dogs and my students an emergency recall word for that time when the dog has his nose so engaged in something his ears are turned off. Or when the distractions or drive is so high a "come" just won't do.
This is how: you need the Highest Value Treat you have, the one your dog will run through a wall for. I find cheese works for most dogs, for others a ball or tug toy works as well. First we charge the word by saying the word ( the word can be any word you want, in this case Cheese) then giving a small treat without the dog doing anything for it. Repeat for at least 20 times. Now stop the game and walk away from the dog. After a short time say the word (Cheese) in a happy voice, when your dog comes give him the treat and lots of praise. Walk away again, wait a little longer this time then repeat the above, do this a few more times that day. Day 2, charge the word about 5 times and stop. Walk away from your dog, when he’s not paying attention say the recall word (Cheese) in a happy voice, when your dog comes give him the treat and lots of praise. For the next few days randomly call out your emergency recall word (Cheese) and pay off big time, I mean make it a jackpot! After teaching this to your dog in the house now take it out side with distractions. Again call out your emergency recall word (Cheese) and make it a jackpot!
You should now have a strong emergency recall. I suggest only using it for that emergency situation only and be sure you keep the word charged. Every week or two say the word, give the treat, 5 times or so should do. If you ever use the emergency recall word you MUST pay off, even if you don’t have cheese, use what ever you have. I had to use my emergency recall word just the other day when Riley had his nose going full blast and his brain on ignore. I didn’t have his treat with me so when he came to me like a rocket we went right inside and he won the jackpot.
Training your pup to walk nicely on leash.
The most common mistake most people make when teaching their pup to walk politely on the leash is to try to do the training while taking a walk in the neighborhood. This hardly ever works out well. Teaching your dog to walk politely on leash needs to start in an controlled environment without distractions and without the leash at first. I use a toy or food rewards as the leash at first and encourage the pup to stay with me as I walk back and forth, stopping and making turns. Once the pup is reliably following by my side without the leash, I clip the leash on and repeat the process. After a few successful sessions on leash, indoors, without distractions, I take the pup out into the world with just environment distractions, grass, trees, wind ect. and continue the process. As the pup gets more and more reliable, I add more and more distractions, such as going to a park or an outside mall that’s not to busy.
By using positive reinforcement and an upbeat happy approach pup will be walking at my side in no time. Let us show you how.
What motivates your dog?
Is it a stick, a toy, a ball, praise, food or playing tug? When training your dog, find at least three things that motivate him, pick out the one that gets the best response. That will be the high-value reward. For my dog it’s food.
When teaching a new behavior use the highest value reward first, as the dog gets to know the behavior fairly well start using other rewards to keep it interesting. And eventually move away from the high-value rewards. However when the dog performs a particular behavior extremely well give him the high-value reward. For example, if your dog normally sits slowly, taking his time, and this time he drops like a rock. Give him the high-value reward and lots of praise. The more often you reward your dogs best efforts, the more likely he will repeat them.